Dust guard for the journal boxes of railway cars



Dec. 14 1926.

J. L. MOHUN DUST GUARD FOR THE' JOURNAL BOXES OF RAILWAY CARS File ly 211 24 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 f f if o j an Dec.14,'1926. 1,610,464

J. L. MOHUN DUST GUARD FoR THE JOURNAL BOXES OF RAILWAY CARS Filed July21, 1924 2 s t ..sh et g Patented Dec. 142,

* entree tanner JOHN L. MOHU'N, OF QMAI-IA, vlill lBliMltSKA.

Application filed m 21,

invention relates to improvements'in dust guards for the journal boxesof railcars. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide ametallic dust guard comprising two sheet metal plates stamped out tosize and joined together, preferably by spot welding, with 'apredetermined space intervening for receiving the packing ring andthepacking ring spring.

A further object is to provide an improved arrangement of offsets ordepressed areas in the side plates to properly space the same and topermit them to be secured together byspot- Welding or equivalentfastening means. A further object is to provide improved means forresiliently thrusting the dust;

guard unit sideways in its'mounting in the v dust guard chamber so as toforce one of the side plates into vfirm engagement with the wall of thedust guard chamber.

Astill further object is to provide improved guide means for guiding the.paclring ring spring, and for retaining the packing ring in itsinwardly compressed positions. 1 I

Furtherobjects, features and advantages of my inventionare' to be foundin the following description and in the accompanying drawings referredto, where-in: v

Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical sec tion through the conventionaljournal box of a railway car, showing the dust guard of my inventioninserted in thedust guard chamber of the journal box; v

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the dust' guard viewed from the line'22 of Fig ure 1;

Q Figure-3 is a guard;

Figure 4 is a on the planeof the line t4c of Figure 2;

, Figure 5 is a similar view taken on the side elevation of the dustplane or the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a modified construction; and V Figure 7is a vertical sectional; view 0 throughthe same. 5

V In Figure 1, I

ventiona'l journal box. 10 into which the detailed sectional view taken;

have illustrated, thecon 1924. .Serial No. 727,112.

journal 11 0f an axle 12 extends, the journal being provided with theusual bearing 13, lining 14, and Wedge 15. At its inner end thejournalfbox has the usual dust guard chamber 16 disposed abouttheshoulder portion 17 of the axle. Into this-chamber 16 is slipped thedust guard 18 of my invention, which comprises essentially a pairofspaced side plates 19'-19, an annu- '59 larjournal contacting ring 20,and a'spring rod or band 21 for radially compressing the ring20.'

' Each sideplate 19 is in the general form of an annular sheet having acentral'aper ture only slightly larger than the diameter of the shoulder17 of the axle and having its upper end. extended somewhat as arectangle with slightlvrounded corners; These plates are preferably of arelatively light gaugesheet metal, and at four points about theirrespective margins these plates have punched depressions 22 whichproject in from the opposing sides of'the two plates to adepth'approximately equal to one halt of the desired spacingbetween'these plates 'Ihebottom walls 22 are matchedbetween thetwo plates.andare then secured together, preferably by spot welding. Each puncheddepression 22 is flared outwardly to the margin of the plate forfacility in engaging the two welding electrodes'over the abutting'bottomwalls 22; i'

Adjacentthe margins of their central apertures the plates are bentinwardly, so that the cross section along the radius of guard presentsinwardly stepped flanges 23 between which are confined thehereaftermentioned packing and the circular .compression spring. It isdesirable for the packing ring to. have .a cross-sectional widthnarrower than the width of the dust guard chamber 16, and the twoinwardly stepped flanges 23 snugly receive this narrower packing ring.Each of these inwardly steppedfianges is provided with an inward- 1ysloped annular'flange 24tohold the paclring in place, both before andafter the dust guard is inserted into the dust-guard chamber. of thejournal box. Between the "stepped flanges 23 and projectinginwardlybeyond the sloped flanges 24: is the axle contacting ring 25, preferablyof asbestos. lVhile it is not essential that an asbestos ring be used, Iconsider it advisable because of its slow burning properties. A. springband 26 embraces the ring 25 for the purpose of automatically forcingthe ring inwardly radially at all points to preserve a continuous lineof contact with the shoulder 17 of the axle about the periphery of thelatter. The band 26 is pref erably a round rod of spring steel havingends slightly separated,'as indicated at 26 in Figure 2, and being sosprung that it tends to compress the packing ring to a smaller diameter.

For guiding and confining the spring cen 'trally, and for preventingoutward regression of the ring 25 whereby it could break contact withthe axle I provide a plurality of punched depressions 27 inthe steppedflanges 24 at spaced intervals about the flanges. These depressionsextend from each side plate into close proximity to the spring, as bestshown in Figure 5, and prevent the springfrom shifting to one side orthe other of the packingring'25. The packing ring 25 spreads laterallyunder the inner surfaces 28 of these punched depressions, which obtainan effective hold on the ring when the latter is pushed radially towardthe axle by the spring 26. Thus, as the inner surface of the packingring wears away, the spring 27 will keep the ring 25 pushed into contactwith the axle, and as the ring is thus sprung inwardly the severalpunched depressions will engage the ring at points nearer its peripheryto eliminate any tendency of the ring to bepushed back at any pointaround the guard, and thus maintaining the proper clearance between theside plates 19 and the axle. It will be noted that these puncheddepressions 27 are of non-perforate character; so that there is nopossibllity of the ingressof dust and dirt or the egress of oil throughthese guidingdepressions.

For maintaining an oil. and dust-tightseal between the dust guard andthe wall or walls of the dust guard chamber] 16, I provide laterallyacting spring means for forcing one of the side plate 19 snugly againstthe adjacent wall of the aforesaid chamber. In the embodimentillustrated in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive, this spring means comprise s araised spring portion 29 formed along the flat upper edge of one plate,and asimilar raised portion 31 extending parallel thereto across therounded'lower edge of this same plate.

These raised portions are adapted to have ample resiliency for forcingthe opposite wall of the dust guard over into firm contact with theadjacent Wallof the dust guard chamber 16.

(tether through their contacting areas portions 25) and 31 maintains acontinual seal between the journal box and the dust g rd chamber, andel'i'ectively prevents all rattling or play of the guard.

In the embodimentillustrated in Figures 6 and 7, the upper edges of thetwo side plates have been spot welded together in a co-operating pair ofdepressions 22 located substantially centrally of the plates for accommodating the two lateral spring plungers 33. A third spring plunger33 is disposed at the lower edge of the guard substantially centrallythereof. As shown in F ignre 7, each spring plunger comprises a sheetmetal plimger head stamped out with a spherical end and a cylindricalshank 3 1- which is guided in a boss 35. The boss 35 is punched inwardlyfrom the marginal portion of one of the plates 19. A collar 36 turnedoutwardly on the end of the shank portion 34 forms a stop for engagingwith the end of the boss 35 to limit the outer movement of the plungerhead A compression spring 3'? is confined between the under side of thisplungerhead and a boss 88 punched out in the opposite plate in alignmentwith the plunger head 33.

The spherical contour of the plunger heads facilitates inserting thedust guard down through the top of the dust guard chamber 16. theseplunger heads camming themselves into compressed positions in the act ofinserting the dust guard. In assembled position, these spring plungersresiliently pressthe front side plate 19 against the. front wall of thedust guard chamber 16 with. a firm pressure for effectively sealing thejoint between the dust guard and the chamber wall against the entranceof dust and dirt and the loss of oil from the journal box.

This embodiment; may have the same arrangement of stepped and slopedflanges 23 and and the guide depressions 27 for centering the spring 26and maintaining the packing ring in its inwardly com 'iressed positions.

In each of the preceding embodiments the packing ring 25 and thecompression spring are first as embled between the plates, after whichthe plates are spot welded to This results in a unit assembly, rpm whichthere is. no possibility of parts becoming lost. In the form shown inFigure 7, the provision otthestopcollars 36 retains the plungers33 asapart ofthe unit assembly of the dust'guard and prevents any losso'fthese spring. plungers,

While I; have shown but these specific embodiments of my invention, itis to be understood that certain changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A journal box dust guard comprising a pair of spaced side plateshaving aligned central apertures therein, inwardly sloped flanges aroundthe margins of said apertures, a packing ring between said inwardlysloped flanges, spring means for forcing said packing ring inwardlyacross said flanges, and projections formed in the margins of saidplates at corresponding points, the corre sponding projections of thetwo plates engaging between the plates and being fixed to each other. 7

2. A journal box dust guard comprising a pair of side plates havingaligned central apertures therein, sloped surfaces around saidapertures, compressible packing material between said side plates andengaging said sloped surfaces, a spring embracing said packing anddisposed between said side plates, and projections formed in the marginsof said plates at corresponding points and being held together betweensaid plates, the spaceb'etween any two points of attachment between saidside plates being less than the diameter of said packing ring and saidspring whereby the accidental displacement of said packing ring or saidspring is prevented.

3. A journal box dust guard comprising a first side plate, a second sideplate, said plates having openings therein through which the axle isinserted, compressible packing materialbetween said plates, a springembracing said packing between said plates, projections formed in themargins of said plates at corresponding points, the correspendingprojections of the two plates engaging between the plates and being heldtogether, and spring flanges projecting from said second plate atsubstantially opposite sides thereof for engaging one wall of the dustguard chamber and pressing said other plate against the opposite wall ofsaid chamher. 7 7

4. A journal box dust guard comprising a pair of side plates adapted tofit in the dust guard chamber of a journal box, said side plates havingopenings therein through which the axle may be inserted, compressiblepacking material between said side plates, a

spring embracing said packing between said side plates, means rigidlyconnecting said side plates together, and spring flangesinte gral withone of said plates projecting laterally from the top andbottom edgesthereof,

said spring flanges engaging one wall ofthe dust guard chamber, forforcing the opposite plate against the other wall of said-chamber.

5. A j ournalbox dust guard comprising a pair of side plates adapted tofit in the dust guard chamber of a journal box, said side plates'havingrounded lower e es and sub-- ing said inwardly inclined flanges, aspring embracing said packing and disposed between said side plates,projections formed in the margins of said plates at correspondingpoints, the corresponding projections of the two plates being heldtogether, a spring flange projecting laterally from one of said sideplates along its flat upper edge, and a spring flange projectinglaterally from the same side plate across its lower curved edge.

6. A ournal box dust guard having a pair of spaced side plates adaptedto fit in the dust guard chamber of a journal box, said side plateshaving openings therein through which the axle may be inserted,inwardly. stepped flanges adjacent said openings lying in substantiallyparallel relation between said side plates, inwardly sloped flangesaround said openings extending from said inwardly stepped flanges andconverging towards each other as they approach the axle, a compressiblepacking material be tween said inwardly stepped flanges, and a springembracing'said packing material and operating to press the same throughthe space between the inwardly sloped flanges of both side plates. 7

7. A journal box dust guard having a pair of spaced side plates adaptedto fit in the dust guard chamber of a journal box, said side plateshaving openings therein through which the axle may be inserted, inwardlystepped flanges adjacent said openings, inwardly converging flangesaround said openings, a compressible packing material between saidinwardly stepped flanges, and a spring embracing said packing materialand operating to press the same through the space between the inwardlyconverging flanges of both side plates. i 8. A journal box dust guardcomprising a pair of side plates, said side plates having openingstherein through which the axle may be inserted, inwardly stepped flangesadjacent said openings, inwardly sloped flanges leading from saidstepped flanges to said openings, a ring of compressible packingmaterial between said stepped flanges, a spring embracing said packingring and operating to press said packing through the.

opening between said sloped flanges, and joining portions on said platesheld together for joining said plates into a rlgid unit.

9. A journal box dust guard having side plates adapted to fit in thedust guard chamber of a journal box, said side plates having openingstherein through Which the axle may be --inserted, inwardly steppedflanges adjacent said openings, inwardly sloped flanges definlng saidopenings, a ring of packlng material between said stepped flanges, a

compression spring embracing said ring of packing material, and meansprojecting from 10 said stepped flanges for substantially centering saidspring.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 7th day of July,1924.

JOHN L. MOHUN.

